The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-04-08
FROM THE DARK BEYOND.

A GhostIy Adventure on Lake Huron.
"I It was In the sixties" said Capt.
Smithers of the bark Windward that
/ met with a curious adventure on the
Lake Huron.
80 We were in the Lake Superior ore
trade running out of Cleveland and on
the return trip we generally managed to
pick up light freight of machinery and
general cargo.
&c At the time of which I speak 1 had
command of a schooner called the Black
Eagle.
% Well. one night late in the Summer
the tug had scarcely let go of US at the
foot of Lake Huron, when it came on to
blow great guns.
d" We got tn schooner snug and ship
shape for bad weather and let her skip,
having the wind from the southeast.
THIS gave US our course up the lake, but
within an hour we had everything
doublereefed and the two men at the
wheel
The sea began to get up in a terri
be way, and as / stood on the quarter,
a. u looked back at the waves following
US with I'll ehorse speeI, it seemed
as II every one must break over uS.
90 II was near midnight and we were
alb" r"a-t or Lexington, or a little above,
when / suddenly heard a hail from off
our starbOard bow.
Mind you, the whole crew were on
deck at this time, and the schooner was
climbing up one hll and sliding down
another in a way TO make you think her
bottom had been creased for the occa~
sion. l had two men on the lookout
forward, but they had reported
nothing.
- Schooner ahoyr came from the
water.
Il ran forward to the starboard
shrouds of the foremast and peered
into the storm and darkness, but could
see nothing.
4" Schooner ahoy" came the hail
again. Stand 10y TO take my line
Next instant tie end of a heaving
line flew over my shoulder AID as 1
pulled III on il. assisted 10y one of the
lookouts. skin drew alongside and
man climbed upon tn rail
90 | was TIN, weak in the knees | could
hardly stand up. A man coming aboard
of Us in such cookie shell in such sea
as that was truly remarkable, and you
must add to this the fact that he sat
there on the schOOneTS S rail as cool as
ice and UawleI out to me:
- Hope l haven't put you to any
trouble, Capt. Smithers!
Who are you, and where do you
come from| / shouted in his ear.
" I'm Capt. Zane of the brig Petrol.
Don't you know your old friends,
eh =
60 That made me Jump, and such OF the
crew as had crowded around US gave him
sea room pretty quick.
% Capt. Zane left Buffalo in the Pctrel
five years before that, and his craft had
gone down in a blow with al la .ds.
hal known him well, and in truth this
chap on the rail, now thatI came u look
closer, was as near like him a twin
brother, except that mis- hair had grown
whiter.
{" You-you can't be Capt. Zane I
shouted.
o. on. I can't. eh?' he replied. and
taperod of with a laugh which set my
blood 90 tinglug. Pretty faIrish blow.
Cap. Smithar-. Maybe you have some
good wLi-keg Boo the cIbiuy
90 Like ous NaIkiu in a dream I went
% the cabin and secured a flask Of
wL.-.e. and returned with It.
d" An. that's more like It, he
ChuCkIed. a. he reached out for the
flask. Here's 10 a speedy voyage both
ways
. He put the flask TO his lips, and. as
I'm a living man. he didn't let 20 until
he hai drained the last drop. The crew
had alI crowded aft % be out OF his way,
and though / wanted - follow them,
my b. lde held me back.
% A. he handed me the flask back, I
aid 20 llm-
".I thought the Petrol went down
years a-o.'
. Yes he chuckIed.
" And Capt. Zane went with herr"
d" Dh be did Hal ha ha Say,
SIN r.sls. you'd bst.ar keep her head up
a point more. for the winds drawing
ma- 20 the East
" lie reached out his hand as IL TO
lay DO on my SHOULDER, and I started
back
o.. At that instant there came a fash
OF lightning SO bright that I could have
told the color of a man hal 200 feet
AWAY a report as if "a dozen cannon had
le.u fired 40 Ouce-uud 1 felt myself
sJrIca down.
When came to, the cook was fuss
ing over Me. and The rest of the crew
were sitting about in a dazed way or
had crepJ uowu into 10 castle. Morning
was just breaRin-, and, though the
wind had gone down some, there was
heavy sea running and the schooner was
head To il, wheel lashed, and drifting
with dry decks.
60 IL was "a long time before 1 could
comprehend what had happened or get
at the facts" continued the captain.
&c 1t seemed that the cap on the main
mast had been struck by lightning.
While little injury had been done, the
shock had knocked everybody except the
cook senseIess. Some of the men re-
covered after a quarter OF an hour,
some remained as if dead for nearly two
nours 1 was one of the last ones
up.
50 Now, as to what happened after
went down, l give you the word OF the
cook. who was a respectable colored
4 -. e. g.4sve